


Finding Solace

by kuurarisu



Series: A Day on the Planet [1]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, I'll update the tags as I go, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kazuichi will go from 'no homo' to 'maybe homo' and then 'ALL THE HOMO', M/M, Making a smooth timeline and plot for this story is rivETING--, Mental Health Issues, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Self-Esteem Issues, Slow Burn, amen, and his road to self love, i shamelessly use the ED of Danganronpa 3: Despair Arc as a reference because i aint creative, it's still 2010 somewhere dammit, no really, this is how i tag stfu, welcome to the wild ride that is kazuichi's life, when i meant slow i meant s l o w
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-13
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2020-01-12 17:55:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18451658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuurarisu/pseuds/kuurarisu
Summary: [Originally entitledHappiness Achievement Plan]In retrospect, he realized, he wasn't exactly the most intriguing person to look at, or fun enough to be around.Mussed black hair was dyed a bright, blinding fuchsia. Bland brown orbs hidden behind pink contacts, a finer alternative to his hideous pair of red frames.He wore the baggy jumpsuits to hide the scars that decorated his arms and body. Gifted with pointy teeth, completing the look, it gave him the aura that he wanted—intimidating, andconfident.The total opposite of who he really was—a coward,a nobody.Yet, keeping up the charade was proving to be much more difficult. Underneath the surface, Kazuichi is still scared, and constantly pretending to be someone he wasn't. After all, while outward appearances are much easier to change, the inner self is less so.Luckily, it seems his friends aren't giving up on him that easily.———————————————(1)Hajimari Arc:New Beginning- Chapters 2 - ?





	1. Operation "New School, New Life"

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! 
> 
> Honestly, it's been forever since the last time I posted a story on this site. I've been caught up with so much school and work, and it's been eating away at me. But now that I have free time on my hands, I can finally share this piece to you guys! I just recently joined the Danganronpa fandom, actually. My friends introduced it to me a year ago, and I've been hooked on the characters and plot ever since! 
> 
> There aren't that many stories regarding Souda and Gundham, so this will be first contribution to the tag! I'll try to update as frequent as I can. From the bottom of my heart, I hope all of you will enjoy, it truly means a lot to me!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning! This chapter contains brief mentions of **family-and-child abuse** , please proceed with caution! Also includes our dear Kazuichi having _doses of crippling anixety, and low self-esteem_.

As cautious as not to make a single sound, he gently hurried down the stairs and quietly locked the door behind him. The moment he was out, Kazuichi ran, his strides long and quick as his feet carried him farther and farther from the house. When he knew he was at a safe distance, Kazuichi slowed his movements, panting and sweating from the rush of adrenaline. A dazed smile made his way to his face, the realization washing over him in a calming and giddy embrace than he ever felt in years. He was free.  _ Free _ . He was finally free from the wretched place he was forced to call— _ eugh _ , home.

Yet, a deeper part of him somehow regretted the way he left, because he knew how horrible it would be the moment he returned—the terror that would await him by the doorstep. Kazuichi never bothered to tell his father where he was going—only through the form of a half-assed written note on the kitchen counter, and never to spare him a goodbye. That bastard  _ never  _ cared,  _ never  _ did. Even if he did tell the old man where he was off to, he'd be livid, demanding that in  _ no way in hell  _ was he going anywhere, and going to leave the shop all to him.

But Kazuichi be damned if he was going to spend an entire lifetime working in that rusty, old bike shop. His good-for-nothing father, who'd just waste away all his profit on smoke and alcohol—especially after he worked so hard to provide their failing family! He never wanted to go back there ever again and had had enough of the misery and torture he had to grow up through.  _ Good riddance.  _ He grumbled inwardly, the depressing memory making him shudder in disgust.

Though, he had to admit, it did get him somewhere.

It was just a normal, plain day, tinkering in the shop when the local postman happened to pass by. It was strange and Kazuichi assumed he might’ve been there to give another late notice letter from the water and electricity companies, but he made sure to pay the bills within the end of the month this time! Although, his confusion morphed into surprise when an elegantly pressed envelope was handed to him instead. His initial dread faded away, for the moment he read the contents of the letter, he was stunned into complete, utter disbelief.

In his hands held the opportunity of a lifetime. In all honesty, if someone said to Kazuichi that he'd be given a scholarship by one of the most prestigious schools in the country, he might’ve taken it as mockery, as he was bullied quite frequently in the past—so he would've cried and tried to hit them back  _ because it was really cruel to pull his leg like that because that ain't happening! _

And yet, here he was. From as far as he knew, Hope's Peak Academy was known as one of the best institutes in the entire nation, and its students are known as the cream of the crop, and secured futures are guaranteed to whoever graduates. The recognition of having excelled at something so great to have surpassed so many people who work in that field—it was everything Kazuichi could ever ask for. Now, he was on his way to the school as the Ultimate Mechanic, and  _ imagine that  _ , a title he had only dreamt of becoming, but it had now become undoubtedly reality.

His only problem now is, the thought swirling in the back of his mind,  _ will he be able to live up to it? _

When the train arrived, Kazuichi hopped on eagerly. There weren't a lot of people, so he conveniently took the seat to the left of the doors. This way, he'd be able to exit easily without getting caught in the middle of the crowd. The lack of people within the train was not unusual, as he supposed this was due to the fact it was still a little early, as he had left the house in such a rush.

He hadn’t noticed the annoyed look the person next to him gave him, but when he did, he stopped his movements. Kazuichi didn’t notice he had been fidgeting, and his leg bounced up and down in anxious wait. Averting his eyes and flushed red in embarrassment, “ _ Sorry… _ ” He muttered, eyes trained on the window to avoid eye contact as his surroundings rushed past him.

While waiting, they passed by several stations as more and more people trickled in. Eventually, the once empty train became swamped, noting that the lot of them were students as it was the beginning of the school year, and the rest were the typical adults on their way to work.

Kazuichi noticed that the girl in front of him looked no older or younger than him, so he guessed they were within the same age. Looking closer, the familiar dusty brown uniform she wore reminded him of the one the school provided him with—and as if to confirm his suspicions, his eyes glanced towards the emboldened crest stitched to her left chest that held the symbol of Hope's Peak. He picked at the hem on the cuff of his sleeves, a little awkward now that he hadn't worn his uniform, as it was stated that it wasn't mandatory, and had chosen to wear his baggy jumpsuit instead. It was more comfortable, and the long sleeves made it easier to hide the scars on his arms.

She yawned a bit, her grasp loosening on the metal pole beside his seat, so when the train suddenly took a halt, she was jolted awake. The immediate force made her shift slightly and caught her off-balance. The mechanic shot up from his seat, and grabbed onto the girl's wrist, pulling her back onto her feet. She looked at Kazuichi in surprise, her tired eyes widening slightly at his actions, causing the mechanic to blush.

"Uh, ha! Sorry for startling you. You almost looked like you were going to fall." He said, letting go of her wrist, and rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "If you want, you can have my seat. You look tired."

The girl, obviously taken aback at his open display of kindness for a complete stranger, stared at him. Much to Kazuichi's relief, after a short while, she gave him a lazy but sincere smile. “Thank you…” She muttered politely, nodding her head and took his seat without complaint, leaving him to be the one to stand instead. Though he didn't mind, as Kazuichi happened to get off at the next few stops anyway.

Plus, the fact he was able to do a good deed for someone awakened a strange, tingly feeling in him. It was nice.

When the train finally arrived at his designated stop, he slowly exited through the doors. When he checked the time on his phone, it showed that he was surprisingly early, forty minutes early to be precise. Since the orientation would start at exactly seven, he would approximately reach the school within ten minutes, meaning that he had half an hour to kill time.

With newfound determination, he followed the direction offered by the map he picked up from one of the stands, and graciously made his walk to the school. Eventually, he hadn't needed to look at the map, and so he stuffed it away in his pocket. If the towering figure of the school compared to the rest of the buildings in the entire block were any indication, then it certainly meant he was going in the right direction.

The moment he stood out the gate, the salmonette couldn't help but gaze in utter awe at the grand establishment that was Hope's Peak. The property was huge, unrealistically so. Eyes following upward, Kazuichi drew his eyes away, the sting of looking up at the sky making him squint as the light blinded him for a moment. He almost gasped, but fought the urge to do so and instead, bit his lip while staring incredulously at the massive structure. He was the type to get easily impressed, but that’d make him look uncool!

He jumped when he heard someone call his attention. He settled his focus on the main gate. Security was tight, as there were several guards at the front of the entrance, and one of them was glaring at him. Meekly, his body shivered in fear while approaching the tall, scary-looking man. The guard eyed him like he would as if he were a threat, and it made Kazuichi want to sink in a hole and shrink bank involuntarily at the display of authority.

"State your name." The man clicked a pen, pulling out a clipboard, his heavy and intense glare never wavering as he impatiently waited for the pinkette's answer.

"E-er, Souda Kazuichi." He mumbled, sweating nervously as the other continued to give him that piercing stare. He played with the strap of his bag while trying his best to hold eye contact with the taller man, no matter how much he wanted to look away. He heard the other let out an exasperated sigh, flipping through multiple sheets of paper on the clipboard, before stopping to nod his head, checking something and then letting out a disgruntled sound of approval.

"Yeah, you're here. Under Chisa, huh..." He looked over the page with feigned disinterest, peeking over the clipboard and scoffing at the confusion written all over Kazuichi's face. "I need you to drop all of your bags."

Obediently, he settled his luggage to the ground. He had only bothered to bring two bags, his backpack containing the essentials and the second being slightly larger to carry his other stuff. He didn't bother bringing too many, since he didn't really own much and found it too much of a hassle. Also, if his old man found out that not only had his son went missing, but some of their stuff as well, then he might’ve gone crazy. Kazuichi supposed it was safer to just leave everything be, and take the stuff that was only necessary.

He watched the man beckon a nearby officer, barking out, "Inspect him." before taking the two bags with ease and handing them over to another one beside him. "These two as well. When you're done, get someone to deliver them to his room."

Uncomfortably, he silently looked over the shoulder of the officer who was currently inspecting him as his items got carried away. When he was deemed as safe—or in his words,  _ confirmed to carry no weapon of mass destruction _ , he got called over and guided by a woman to enter the school. As they walked past the halls, Kazuichi felt his nerves rise to his throat, and the nauseated feeling danced in his stomach.

_ Oh god, I can’t do this I’m not ready hold on wait please where is this woman taking me— _ Kazuichi breathed deeply, thoughts panicked as he was led to a room labeled as the gym, stepping inside once more to reveal a room lined by various shelves and displays before approaching another door. He looked at the woman leading him with, what he hoped wasn’t a horrified and instead, an acceptably even more confused reaction. The woman chuckled, appearing to sense his nervousness and patted his back gently, ushering him to go inside. “It’s alright, the opening ceremony is just inside. Your classmates and other students, as well as your adviser and teachers will be in there.”

Gulping, Kazuichi steadied himself before pulling up a confident facade, grabbing the handle and slid the door open. He stepped inside not as graceful as he had hoped, but luckily didn’t get caught by anyone. A terrible impression would definitely leave a bad mark. A teacher beside the door turned their attention to him, before smiling warmly. “Hello there, go have a seat. What class are you?”

“Oh, uh,” For a moment, Kazuichi racked his brain for his class number.  _ Dammit! It was written on the letter! I had completely forgotten!  _ He concealed his panic with a chuckle, “Sorry, I kinda forgot. But that, uh, guard at the gate might’ve said something about someone named Chisa?”

The man’s face sparked with recognition, and nodded his head, the smile never wavering on his face, “Ah yes, that’s alright. You must be referring to one of our teachers, Yukizome-san. She’s one of the newest teachers here and the adviser for Class 77.” The man beckoned him to follow him, “Their seats are just up front, since she would be holding the newest batch. Come with me.”

He was led up to the front, and took a seat beside a boy his age with _what on earth is with that funky looking_ _white hair_ , and thanked the man from earlier, watching his retreating back as he headed to the back of the stage. Kazuichi yelped, surprised when he felt someone tap his shoulder, looking to his left and facing the stranger. “Hello there, you must be one of our classmates.” The stranger’s grey eyes glittered with mischief and curiosity, tilting his head to the side and smiling at him.

_ What the hell is up with this weirdo…  _ Kazuichi blinked at the boy, hesitating before offering him a crooked smile. “Uh, yeah, nice to meet you.” He mumbled, but it was loud enough to be heard, from the pleased reaction from his companion.

“Pleasure to meet you as well! I’m Komaeda Nagito.”

“The name’s Souda Kazuichi.” When he noticed the outreached hand, he took it and shook it firmly, brushing off his previous wave of doubt. Komaeda scratched the back of his head, the dangerous closed-eye smile never leaving his face. “Anyway, what’s your talent? Surely it must be far more beautiful than mine!”

_ Uh, what?  _ Choosing to ignore the hint of insecurity in those words, Kazuichi shrugged his shoulders, smiling at him carefully, leaning back his chair and crossing his arms to give off an aura of indifference, “I’m the Ultimate Mechanic, apparently.” Now being able to say that out loud, Kazuichi admits he felt a  _ little  _ proud of himself, and unfortunately, it showed judging by Komaeda’s delighted expression.

“How wonderful! That talent is truly remarkable, to wield machines so delicately, such a talent radiates  _ hope _ , don’t you think?”

_ Just what in the hell is this dude trying to say?!  _ Kazuichi narrowed his eyes at Komaeda in a calm, but suspicious manner, while the other continued to look at him blissfully.  _ Is he nuts? What am I supposed to say to that?!  _ Clearing his throat, Kazuichi looked at him exasperatedly, “Oh, yeah? Thanks. What about your talent?”

Komaeda laughed, humble but with a hint of mocking to it, but Kazuichi, strangely, didn’t feel offended by it. By the sounds of it, it felt like Komaeda was  _ making fun of himself  _ . It was peculiar, extremely so, and was able to make him feel goosebumps. “Oh, you wouldn’t want to know. It’s not that important, unlike the rest of everybody here! Trash like me, doesn’t really deserve to hav _ —” _

“ _ O-oi!  _ What are you talking about?” Kazuichi snapped, Komaeda jumping in surprise at the sudden interruption, a bewildered look etched across his face while the mechanic continued gawking at his words. “What the hell? What’s wrong with you? What’s your talent anyway? If you’re here, then that means you have one right?” The pinkette clenched his fists tightly, shaking by his side and looking at his seatmate expectantly. He didn’t like the way this guy talked, he couldn’t exactly explain why.  _ Dammit, he’s giving me a hell lot of red flags! This dude just gives off creepy vibes! _

“Oh, that’s, uhm,” Komaeda stammered, “I don’t really have one, actually _ —  _ Ah, what I mean is,” He regained his composure by waving his hand dismissively, the friendly but self-deprecating grin returning to his face and aiming at him, “What I have isn’t really considered as talent. I was just chosen by the lottery draw.”

Kazuichi frowned, the tension in his body ebbing away and slowly relaxing a bit when he finally got, well, a  _ somewhat  _ proper answer. “So you mean like, the academy chose you because of the uh _ —”  _ He made vague gestures in the air to recollect his thoughts, “This lottery, or whatever? Hey, wait! Doesn’t that mean you’re the _ —!?  _ ”

“Yup, I’m the Ultimate Lucky Student.” Komaeda finished for him, his eyes not directed towards him anymore, but at the floor.  The expression on his face seemed to indicate that he was a little dejected, but quickly recovered, shaking his head and laughing half-heartedly. “It’s nothing, but surprisingly, it seems my luck paid off in the end! I couldn’t believe that I was the one that was picked to become one of the Ultimates. Ah, it’s truly an honor.”

Kazuichi felt like he wanted to say something more, but at that moment, they both jumped to the sound of a loud beat coming from the speakers. They followed their attention to the man on stage, repeatedly tapping on the microphone several times. “Testing, one, two, three. Mic check. Alright _ — _ !” He cleared his throat, “Good morning everyone! The ceremony will begin in just a few more minutes so please make sure to find your seats. Thank you.”

The room bustled with noise as everyone began to settle into their seats, several teachers hopped backstage and the students chatted amicably with one another. The mechanic couldn’t help but let a sigh of relief, the previous conversation forgotten.

“A-ah, sorry… Excuse me…” Kazuichi involuntarily turned his head towards the source of the voice, and his eyes widened in realization. It was the same girl he met at the train, and  _ was it him, or did she look even more sleepier?  _  He waved his hand a bit, hoping it would draw her attention, and it did—pleasant surprise gracing her features and her lips curved into a smile. She hobbled over to him in clumsy, slow steps, and sat to the empty chair next to him.

“Hey, I kind of expected to run into you again.” Kazuichi admitted, chuckling nervously at her when she hummed. It took a few seconds for her to reply, “...Really?” She mumbled before yawning. The situation was pretty funny to Kazuichi, her want of sleep contagious as it almost made him want to take a nap as well.

“Yeah,” He nodded, “I saw your uniform, but I never expected us to be classmates.” Then he paused for a moment, and asked her, “Wait, are you? Sorry, I kind of assumed, and maybe you aren’t supposed to sit here since I called you over…” He rubbed his arm sheepishly.

She pursed her lips in thought for a moment, and replied, “Someone told me the latest batch would sit up front…?” She looked at him, expectant for a confirmation and Kazuichi nodded. “Yeah, uh, I think they said this was Class 77, or something.”

The girl hummed once more, before turning her attention back to the controller in her hands. When they settled into a peaceful silence, out of curiosity, he decided to watch her play. She seemed to be playing some sort of visual-novel styled adventure game, and Kazuichi was astonished at how incredibly good she was, gasping when she managed to beat a stage within minutes. “That was amazing!” He babbled excitedly, eyes darting to her face to see her reaction.

She beamed at him, flattered by his compliment. “Thanks…” She murmured, fingers dancing on the buttons while she continued to play, and her focus never left the screen. “I really like games… And it makes me happy that I was chosen because of it.”

“Oh? What are you, like, the Ultimate Gamer?” He joked.

“Mhm.” She nodded, and Kazuichi staggered a bit at her straightforwardness. He blurted out, “S-s- _ seriously?! _ ” at the same time a sound came from controller, implying she had yet again won another level.

“Yes, I’m the Ultimate Gamer… that’s what they said at least.” She stated, before hurrying to add, “...I think.” Kazuichi almost choked at her choice of phrasing,  _ You think? Really?  _ He frowned dubiously, shaking his head.  _ You sound like you’re unsure! _

“Alright, students!” The blaring voice came from the speakers, and to his right, he heard the gamer let out a sigh, pressing a button to pause her game and tucking the device into her backpack. He followed her when she shifted her position in her seat to face forward properly, so he did the same, assuming the ceremony was finally about to start. The sudden realization dawned on him,  _ Shoot, I wasn’t able to get her name…  _ He frowned, but after consideration, shrugged it off.  _ I’ll ask her about it later. Or maybe when we get to class. _

The man in front stood at the podium, looking down to arrange a few of his papers, shuffling them into order. When he finished, he looked up and smiled widely, “Again, I’d like to greet everyone good morning. Thank you all for coming, and now we may properly begin our opening program!”

The audience clapped eagerly, so the man continued, “Going straight to formalities, I’d first like to introduce myself to the newest recruits. My name is Kirigiri Jin, and I’m the principal of Hope’s Peak Academy. I hope that all of us will get along, and let’s do our best and work hard for another prosperous school year!”

The principal extended a hand to his left, “I’d like to welcome our staff and teachers, who will be your guides for this school year. As I call them out one by one, please come on stage. I will also be mentioning whether they hold their respective advisory classes.” At that, he soon became calling the names of several teachers one by one, as they all lined up on stage and headed down afterwards. Kazuichi crossed his arms, impatiently waiting for their supposed adviser’s name to be called, and when she did, she stepped up front. Her hair bounced when she walked, giving off a very lively attitude as she beamed brightly at the audience. Yet at the same time, she gave off a motherly vibe.

“Yukizome Chisa, she is one of our newest teachers, and an alumni of this school. She will be handling Class 77.”

_ She looks nice.  _ Kazuichi noted, watching as she bowed after her introductory greeting, a skip in her step as she stepped down to join her class in one of the empty seats.  _ An alumni, huh? That means she used to study here, right?  _ He wondered, chin resting in the palm of his hand as he absentmindedly stared at the back of her head.

When all the staff members and teachers were finished being called, the principal made a few more announcements _ — _ Kazuichi seemingly uninterested as the words passed in one ear through the other. Eventually, it was time to end the ceremony with Kirigiri-  _ kochousensei _ ’s final speech. The man of the hour bowed his head, before declaring, “Once again, from the bottom of my heart, I hope that everyone will enjoy their lives here in Hope’s Peak Academy! Thank you, and good morning.” Thunderous applause resounded throughout the room, and everyone began to get up from their seats.

“A-ah, teachers, please make sure to guide your students to their designated rooms, thank you.”

With the principal’s orders, their teacher leapt from her seat and faced the small group sitting behind her. Kazuichi’s eyes trailed to the other batch of students who were already being led outside by their advisers, so he turned his head to Yukizome- _ sensei  _ . “Alright, kids!” There was a bubbling charm lacing her words and she beckoned them to follow her to the gym’s exit doors. “Please line up according to your height. Also, I know everyone must be excited, but there will be no pushing or rushing!”

“Tch, you’re the one who’s getting all excited…” A faint voice from the front of the line grumbled, and since Kazuichi was one of the people at the front _ —much to his dismay, that meant he was one of the shortest guys— _ he was easily able to tell who it came from. The voice belonged to  _ thank god, an even shorter dude _ , but from the angle where he stood, he was only able to see the back of his head.  _ Well, at least there’s someone smaller than me…  _ When the thought crossed his mind, he suddenly felt a little silly trying to reassure himself.

“I’ll pretend that I didn’t hear that!” Their adviser chirped, apparently not affected by the previous comment. “Now, off to the classroom!”

The journey wasn’t long, and in a matter of minutes, their teacher slid the door open to their new classroom. She went in immediately to stand up front where the teacher’s desk was. She gestured for them to come inside, and each of them entered the classroom with an air of uncertainty. Yukizome- _ sensei  _ signalled them to choose their seats, and suddenly, Kazuichi was in a pinch. He didn’t know where to sit. He looked around, and found that most of his classmates had already begun to sit down.

He sighed, eyeing one of the seats up front, and when he deemed it was still unoccupied, he decided to claim it. He would’ve preferred a chair at the back, but this was fine too. He wasn’t picky.  _ This is fine, I guess.  _ Kazuichi frowned. Tapping his fingers on the wood of his chair, he silently watched as his classmates simmered down, and when all were finished, they turned their attention to their adviser.

The adviser smiled heartily, “Now that everyone is here, I’d like to reintroduce myself! My name is Yukizome Chisa, and I will be your homeroom adviser and overall teacher for this class. Back then, I used to be like one of you guys! I was also a student of Hope’s Peak Academy.”

“And what was your talent?” A voice from behind him asked, a girl with short red hair.

“I’m glad you asked!” Their teacher exclaimed, pointing to the person that directed her with the question in a flamboyant fashion.  _ She’s pretty… hyper, and weird.  _ Kazuichi watched as she placed her hands on her hips, and proudly stated: “I was formerly known as the Ultimate Housekeeper. Just as the title suggests, I love to clean, cook, and keep things orderly!”

“Pfft, that sounds pretty lame!” A snarky, high-pitched whine came from Kazuichi’s left. From a short girl with pigtails.

Yukizome laughed, “I suppose it might be for young people! But alas, such is the spirit of youth!” As if to emphasize her words, she finished her words with the dramatic flair of her hand, and it made Kazuichi want to slam his head on his desk.  _ Okay, nevermind, she’s definitely weird.  _ He evaded the thought when she looked at them playfully, as if she was planning something and had already knew what consequences it’d bring. She hoisted herself up to sit on the teacher’s desk, crossing her legs—it looked a bit unprofessional, actually _ — _ and clasped her hands together. “Now I want to hear all about you guys!”

In perfect sync, everyone made noises in mutual disapproval. Their teacher tutted them, but giggling at their display. “Oh, come on you guys! This is pretty much necessary. You don’t need to say anything much, just your name, and your talent, that’s all!”

Thus, came another wave of annoyed sounds and whines, but for the pinkette, he was practically dying on the inside. Right, he should’ve seen it coming, the awkward beginnings of a school year. The introductions were always the hardest part, because to Kazuichi, it determined first impressions. If he messed up here, he’d be a laughing stock, and he even promised himself he’d change this time around! He’d never be able to get through the year if everyone began to make fun of him!  _ He can’t go through that again! _

Steadying his breathing, he tried to keep his cool by thinking to himself.  _ It’s gonna be fine. Yukizome-sensei just said to say your name, and your talent. That’s all.  _ He snapped back to reality when the slight sound of a chair screeching across the floor reached his ears. He turned around and saw that the girl from earlier stood up, but strangely, she was completely focused into her game, mashing the buttons wildly that definitely contrasted her sleepy expression.

“My name is Nanami Chiaki... I’m the Ultimate Gamer.” A shooting sound erupted from the speaker of her controller, startling the class a bit. “It’s nice to meet all of you… I think.”

_ So her name is Nanami Chiaki, huh.  _ The mechanic made a mental note to remember it.

When she sat back down, the person beside her stood up, a buff man whose features clearly defined him as a fighter, and looked much older than his age seem to imply. He bellowed, “Hello everyone! The name’s Nidai Nekomaru! I’m the  _ Ultimate Te _ **_am Manager!_ ** _ ”  _ His boisterous laugh echoed within confines of the room, and Kazuichi had to cringe at how  _ loud  _ the guy was.

Also, apparently the man wasn’t actually a fighter or wrestler, but a  _ team manager? With that kind of physique, I could’ve easily mistaken him! He looks like he’s more fitted to play on a team than manage one!  _ He screamed in the back of his mind.

The next was a silver-haired girl with braids, but Kazuichi was  _ already really afraid of her.  _ She had cold, red eyes, but her voice betrayed her sharp gaze when she spoke calmly. “I am Peko Pekoyama. I was chosen as the Ultimate Swordswoman. Pleasure.”

_ She seems okay, but could probably kill me if she tried.  _ He chuckled sardonically while the swordswoman sat back down.

A small blonde stood up, head turned to the side and a deep scowl present on his face. He looked…  _ He looks like a little kid! With that, er, babyface!  _ Kazuichi gawked.

“Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko. Ultimate Yakuza.” The kid snapped, and glared at them menacingly. “And just so you know, I don’t plan on getting all friendly and shit with all of you.”

The name seemed familiar to Kazuichi, until it hit him.  _ Wait… Kuzuryu?!  _ The salmonette’s eyes widened an even greater fraction, and froze in his place.  _ Aren’t they supposed to be one of the country's biggest crime syndicates?  _ He stared at the yakuza in bewilderment, a shiver creeping up his back.  _ This guy’s one of them?! _

While he was currently in the midst of panicking about his gangster of a classmate, a tall brunette bounded from her seat. Hands on her hips, she gave a peace sign and grinning widely. “Heya! I’m Owari Akane, nice to meet'cha! I’m the Ultimate Gymnast.”

_ She’s a gymnast?  _ Kazuichi hummed, but when his gaze landed on her bust, he gaped and shook his head.  _ With  _ **_that_ ** _ size?! How on earth _ — _?! _

A large man towered over them, his build almost knocking the chair off. He seemed timid, as he stared at the floor and squirmed slightly when everyone turned to him. “My name is Mitarai Ryota… Ultimate Animator.” He immediately sat back down, fiddling with his thumbs.

Kazuichi squeaked in surprise when there was the blaring roar of a guitar, scaring half of the class. The source came from a girl with wild, colorful streaks in her hair, and fashion sense similar to a rockstar's. “Heeee _ llooooo _ **_oooo!_ ** I’m Mioda Ibuki!” Another strum of her guitar, and the intensity of the volume was enough to make the mechanic’s ear to bleed. “I’m the Ultimate Musician!”

_ This chick’s got a crazy personality.  _ Kazuichi winced when she strummed her guitar once more.

“Hello, my name’s Hanamura Teruteru. On the streets, I’m known as the Ultimate Cook.” A small chubby man, with hair swept to the his left, greeted them. He smiled slyly, “But, I’d prefer it if you called me the Ultimate Chef, yanno? You could say it has...a big-city flavor to it.” and gave them a wink. The action made Kazuichi shudder,  _ Yeah, how about no. _

Soon it was the redhead’s turn, “I’m Koizumi Mahiru.” She held up her camera, waving it slightly, “I’m the Ultimate Photographer.” A stern, but challenging look crossed her features, and stated, words holding conviction. “I’ll be counting  on all of you from now on!”

When it was time for the next person, Kazuichi had every urge facepalm, and look away because  _ oh god it was this guy again _ . He grimaced at the bright, cheerful smile, and the boy spoke up. “I’m Komaeda Nagito. Unfortunately, I don’t really have a talent like you guys...“ The negativity in his words totally contradicted his jovial expression. “But I was chosen to be the Ultimate Lucky Student. Nice to meet you all.”

As Kazuichi seethed, a girl with chopped raven hair stumbled out of her seat, and what happened after that left Kazuichi at a loss for words. The girl ended up in  _ quite a compromising  _ position, and he failed to give the situation a proper description other than it was  _ completely ridiculous.  _ With her legs up in the air, her skirt revealed her undergarments, and the view made everyone blush and look away at the secondhand embarrassment.

“Ugh, you clumsy pig!” The petite girl beside him sneered.

_ How did she end up like… that?  _ Kazuichi sighed exasperatedly, a hand raised to block his vision.  _ What’d she do, trip on fucking air?  _ Meanwhile, he frowned in distaste when one of his classmates _ — _ Hanamura _ — _ began to slur enthusiastically and ogle the scene unabashedly. The girl stuttered a series of apologies while being pulled up to her feet by their teacher.

“I-I-I’m s-sorry! P-Please forget w-what you all j-just saw!”

“How in the hell are we supposed to forget  _ that  _ ?” Kuzuryuu barked.

“Uwaaah! F-F-Forgive meeeee _ —!” _ She sobbed, wringing her hands to her chest while tearing up. Yukizome- _ sensei  _ smiled at her reassuringly, rubbing her back in soothing circles. “That’s alright, dear. It was an accident, that’s all!” The yakuza scoffed, muttering something under his breath with what Kazuichi gathered was: “Tch, ‘ _ accident’ my ass. _ ” But silenced when their teacher gave him a look of warning.

“W-well, uhm, I-I’m Tsumiki M-Mikan. I-I’m the Ultimate N-Nurse… From the b-bottom of m-my heart, I h-hope we get a-along!” She stammered, bowing before quickly sitting back down.

Following Tsumiki was the first guy up front, another guy whose striped hair framed his face, remnants of a scar on his left eye while he turned around to face the rest of the class, purple scarf trailing behind him. Closing his eyes in thought, he snickered, “Very well, I shall reveal my name to you mortals _ — _ but be warned! For once you hear this name I carry, it shall haunt you for the rest of your puny lives!”

_ Oh god there’s another weird one.  _ Kazuichi sighed for the umpteenth time that day, at this point, not remotely surprised anymore. He observed his classmate as he flicked his hand, and suddenly, several hamsters crawled out of his scarf, and sleeves. All the mechanic could do was hold his blank stare.

“What.” Kazuichi stated.  _ What the hell? _

The guy crossed his arms smugly, “Bwahaha! Tremble in fear and submit to the Overlord of Ice and the four Dark Devas of Destruction, fools! Behold, for you may call me… Tanaka Gundham.” He leered, “Remember it, for it shall be the name that would rule this world!”

“Uhm, Tanaka- _ san _ , dear.” Yukizome- _ sensei  _ chuckled weakly, appearing to be overwhelmed by their classmate’s vicious personality as well. “That’s lovely, but I’m sure we’d like to know what your talent is!”

“Hmm.” Tanaka frowned, “I possess the capability to tame every beast in this hellish realm, so to answer your question _ — _ my title would be the Ultimate Breeder, as you mortals call it.”

When the breeder finally finished, the person to his right stood up. He peered over in interest, the female moving beside him in an elegant manner, her long, golden hair flowing behind her as she greeted them. “Hello everyone, I am Nevermind Sonia. You may call me Sonia, if you wish.”

Her eyes sparked with happiness, “Ah, I was able to introduce myself in Japanese! How wonderful.” She giggled, blushing a bit when all of them looked at her in confusion, “Ah, my apologies. I am a foreign exchange student, originally from a small kingdom in Europe known as Novoselic. I carry the title of the Ultimate Princess.” She bowed at them, “It is my pleasure to know you all.

_ That’s… actually really cool.  _ Kazuichi smiled, admiring her as she waved at them. Now that he looked at her properly, she really looked like a princess. Even the way she held herself showed regalia.  _ Crap, looks like it’s my turn.  _ He bit his lip, letting out a deep breath before moving around his seat. He braced himself, a grin plastered on his face and raised his hand.

“Hey there, the name’s Souda Kazuichi. I’m the Ultimate Mechanic.” Kazuichi, just like earlier, felt some sort of pride wash over him as he said those words. “Nice to meet'cha!”  _ Short and sweet, keep it simple. Good job.  _ With that, he stiffly resorted back to his seat, relief flooding his systems, glad that it was over. He looked over his shoulder and found that the princess was chatting enthusiastically with Tanaka, and although it seemed like a one-sided conversation, he was nodding along to whatever she had to say.

The last person to introduce themselves was the crabby girl from earlier, hair tied into two pigtails, pouting as she picked at the hem of the collar of her kimono. “Whatever, let’s just get this over with…” She frowned, “I think this is really stupid.”

“I’m Saionji Hiyoko, the Ultimate Traditional Dancer.” She snided, nose turned up in the air.

Yukizome- _ sensei  _ clapped her hands together, “Wonderful! Now that all of you have properly introduced yourselves,” She took out a small notebook from the pocket of her apron, shuffling through the pages while heading over to the blackboard, “I’d like to make a few announcements regarding the school’s curricular system, so make sure all of you listen!” She pulled out a chalk, and began to write.

“I’ll also be mentioning any activity or project you will be required to do, and certain events the school will be hosting. As some of you may already know, attending class frequently isn’t mandatory, but _ —! _ ” As she wrote, she stressed her words with the firm sound of chalk hitting the board. “It’d be better if all of you would come to class regularly! Even if the educational system here in Hope’s Peak is different from other high schools, I’ll still be in charge of your grades for each subject, and I do not want you all to fail! Do I make myself clear?” She looked at them expectantly, and smiled when she received mixed responses of agreement.

“Great! So now, regarding your exams,” She placed the chalk back to its shelf under the blackboard, and pointed to something she had written.

“Your exact dates for your exams will be announced soon, but your first semestral exams start in July. And after summer vacation, your second semester starts in September. Second semestral exams are in December, and then you’ll have your winter break. Finally, the third semester starts in January, and your final exams will be taken in March.”

“As for the several activities and projects, I will be taking them into consideration, but the dates and deadlines aren’t official yet, so please wait for further announcements. Also, in Hope’s Peak, there won’t be any outside or inside competitions _ — _ Ah, wait! _ ”  _ She stopped herself, hurrying to add, “That doesn’t mean we’re strictly limited within the school grounds. Now that we’re on that note, I’d also like to mention your final project for this first semester.”

“You will be having a school field trip! Though everything is still being sorted out, our principal has already confirmed this.” She laughed good-naturedly when the students started reacting positively to this news, then smiled apologetically, “The details are still a little vague, and not everything has been planned such as the date and location, so I’m afraid we have to wait until then.”

It didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits, in fact, Kazuichi started to feel a little excited. He’d never been on a field trip before! As a kid, he was always left behind since he’d need a chaperon and money to come along, and sadly, he couldn’t afford both those things. Now that he was a little older, he’s happy he’d finally be able to experience it!

“Well, that’s basically all the important stuff that I need to cover up for you guys. I’ll make future announcements when there’ll be an activity or a project. Before I dismiss the class for today _ — _ ” She pulled out a small bag from underneath the teacher’s desk, but when she peeked her head over the podium, Yukizome- _ sensei  _ tilted her head at the class’ puzzled expressions. “What’s wrong? Are there any questions?”

“Oh, it’s not that… It’s just,” Komaeda chuckled earnestly, “You’re ending class early?”

“Oh, that.” Yukizome- _ sensei  _ laughed when she finally understood, and nodded. “We won’t be having classes for today, since I know you kids still need to adjust to living here. I’m sure all of your bags have been delivered to your dorm rooms, so that needs to be settled first.”

“How do we know where the dorms are?” Koizumi asked.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be guiding you all to the dorms. The school’s layout is very confusing to those who are unfamiliar with it, but I know soon you’d get used to it!”

Yukizome- _ sensei  _ pulled out something from the bag, a small and rectangular, device-like object in her hands. “These are called your e-Handbooks, they will serve as your IDs. They contain the data of your student profile, and as well as all of your classmates. Please take good care of them!”

When she finished distributing all of the mini gadgets to the class, she made another announcement. “Your e-Handbooks will also be your keys to your rooms, since all the locks are digital, meaning that it’s very important to keep them with you at all times on campus! Do not damage them, or lose them, alright?”

“Yes, Yukizome- _ sensei.  _ ” The class chorused.

  
  


“Okay then, please follow me to your dorms. Class dismissed.”

They trickled out of the room, and followed their teacher as they weaved through the endless halls. They halted in their steps when they approached the gate to the dormitory and lined up to get inside. Kazuichi followed the group as Yukizome- _ sensei  _ led them upstairs, and saw their luggage had already been delivered in front of their doorsteps.

“Ah, before I go, there should be nameplates on the doors. Check them, and when you know that it’s your room, use your e-Handbook for the locks to scan.” She advised, before bidding them goodbye.

He passed by door after door, and when he found his name engraved on the plate, he looked down to see if his bags were there, and fortunately, they were accounted for. He took his e-Handbook from his pocket, and placed it on the scanner. As soon as he heard a click, and an affirmative beeping sound, he entered the room. He blinked, dropping his bags on the floor and coming to the center _ — _ spinning around in place to take in his surroundings.

The walls were painted in a cool, sky blue. Looking down, he realized there was carpeted flooring. In a heartbeat, he hastily took off his shoes, as he had forgotten his routine to leave them by the door and settled his yellow, grimy sneakers on the shoe rack. He really didn’t want to get the carpet all dirty. To his right, there was a door that when he opened, found that it led to the bathroom.

He observed the clean thick sheets on his bed, and without hesitation, collapsed on the mattress.  _ Gah, it's so comfortable!  _ He finally let out the breath he hadn’t known he had been holding, and Kazuichi relaxed his body. He groaned a bit when he realized the slight soreness in his muscles, and how stiff he was. He could feel exhaustion riding him over like a tidal wave, so he clumsily unzipped his jumper suit _ — _ the heat finally getting to him _ — _ and threw it off to the side along with his beanie. In just a matter of moments, when his head hit the pillow, Kazuichi fell into a deep slumber.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Operation "Hide and Seek"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This events with this chapter are inspired from the first episode of the anime: _Danganronpa 3: Zetsubou-Hen_ and was used as a reference. Direct events are tweaked and rewritten to match this story's plot.
> 
> On a further note, this chapter also contains **heavy dialogue, and slight mentions and graphic descriptions of pain** , to those who are reading, you have been warned!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, heavens. Alright, so this chapter came out _waaaaaaaaaaaaay late_ than what I had initially planned. Then again, at this point, this is practically routine to me, I'm not at all surprised anymore, haha.
> 
> I do want to apologize to all those who waited for so long, and I do promise _for real this time_ that I'll try to update it whenever I can. I've been struggling with things personally, and I've been so busy as of lately, but since it's almost the start of my winter break, I'll do my best to keep writing!
> 
> I actually had a hard time writing this chapter, since it's so heavy with dialogue, more so than the previous, and I was a bit rusty, but it's good to keep practicing! I might tweak the chapter a bit though, edit a few lines here and there, but it won't change the general flow. :)
> 
> I also happened to take out a lot of parts and moments that I felt didn't seem to quite fit, but I suppose if I accumulated enough, I could include that in a separate work filled with the parts of the chapters that didn't make the cut.
> 
> Thank you so much for your patience!

Kazuichi bolted up from the bed, a throbbing dizziness overcoming his senses as his vision went black for a moment at the sudden movement. Beside him, he winced at the powerful sound of his phone blaring the alarm at full volume. Groggily, the mechanic snatched the device and swiped his finger over the button and chucked it back under the pillow before collapsing on the bed.

 

_ Ugh, what time is it?  _ He groaned. 

 

He turned his head a bit, trying to see the clock from his angle. As he squinted, he had only noticed the certain stinging in his eyes.  _ Crap, I forgot to take out the contacts.  _ The mechanic frowned, his eyes itching a bit, but he couldn’t risk rubbing them. 

 

After a moment of consideration, he decided to keep them on. His body didn’t want him to move  _ just yet. _ Looking a bit closer, the time showed it was currently half-past seven. Kazuichi blinked, a quiet minute passed, until he scrambled for his phone under the sheets. His suspicions were proven correct, as the time displayed it was  _ 7:30 AM. _

 

It was _the_ _next morning._

 

_ That means… class starts in 30 minutes.  _ As he tried to get up, he winced at the dull ache in his arm and back. He must’ve slept on the wrong side of the bed. But his thoughts never ceased, disbelief drawn across his features because  _ he had slept for almost twenty hours. _ That was absolutely insane. 

 

“What the fuck.” His mind is still reeling from the shock.

 

That was the longest he’s ever slept, and the most peaceful one he’s had—in forever, actually. It was his first decent nap in ages. With the unpredictability in his father’s mannerisms before, he found it easier to stay awake at night. On the bright side, he enjoyed tinkering on his machines in the darkest hours of the night, although it may have totally screwed up his entire sleeping schedule.

 

Kazuichi paused for a moment, wondering what he should do with the extra hour. He supposed he can go take a quick nap for time to fly by faster—but at this point, he was, quite ironically,  _ tired  _ of  _ sleeping _ . 

 

He entertained the idea of roaming the school for a bit, but his thought process was interrupted from the audible growl from his stomach. He hadn’t ate lunch or dinner yesterday, and he had only realized how hungry he was.

 

The mechanic sighed, eyeing his yellow jumpsuit in a heap on the floor. His bags, as he remembered, were haphazardly thrown to the side of the room, with his beanie hanging on the edge of his bed, threatening to fall off at the slightest breeze. Crinkling his nose, Kazuichi grimaced at the mess.  _ Ugh, I’m such a slob. _

 

The pinkette supposed a bath was in order. He pulled his bags up, and began to rummage through them for a towel, his bathroom essentials, and some clean clothes. In the end, he took out his contact as he didn’t want them to get wet. Kazuichi grabbed his jumpsuit from the floor, his beanie, and as he entered the bathroom, he discarded them in the hamper.

 

After brushing his teeth and taking a quick shower, he hobbled back to his room and threw on some clothes. He zipped his blue jumpsuit half-way, nestling the black cap on his head and twisting it around. He pulled out his neater pair of grey sneakers from his larger bag before he reapplied his contacts. 

 

Tucking his phone and e-Handbook in his pocket, he could already hear the rumbling in his stomach growing louder as he sported his shoes by the  _ genkan _ . Immediately, Kazuichi headed outside.

 

To the cafeteria it was.

 

— ❀ —

 

Eagerly munching on his food, Kazuichi watched in disdain as— _ eugh _ —Hanamura unabashedly flirted at another batch of girls two tables away. He suppressed a shiver down his spine, chuckling as the poor upperclassmen stuttered uncomfortably and squirmed to escape. Taking one last bite of his sandwich, he threw the wrapper in one of the trash cans, and fled the scene.

 

He left the dormitories, and pouted, unsure where to go next. Idly, he began walking by the halls. He felt a little awkward roaming around like a lost kitten, as there were several students and teachers casually strolling through the corridors. Kazuichi was rudely snapped out of his reverie the moment he collided with someone from behind, “Oof!” He yelped in pain, the impact leaving him staggering forward a bit.

 

“Woah!” The person behind him gasped, “Sorry, I didn’t see you there! Hey, hold on—” The salmonette turned around, finding that it was the buff guy from his class, looking at him in concern.  _ ‘What’s wrong with him?’  _ Kazuichi watched as he shifted from one foot to the other, face contorted in mild discomfort as he fidgeted in place.  

 

“You’re, uh, Sonaka-san, right?” 

 

_ What… the hell?! This guy totally butchered my name!  _ The salmonette eyed him slack jawed, blurting out, “Do I look like a girl to ya?!” He gritted his teeth in annoyance, anger diminishing when his classmate had the decency to look contrite. “It’s Souda.” He muttered, begrudgingly polite.

 

“A-ah! Right, sorry!” Nekomaru laughed, loud, but strangely forced. “Sorry for bumping into you, I didn’t see you there.” Kazuichi nodded at the apology, but cocked his head at him in confusion, “You alright there, bud?” He asked.

 

“Mngh. Listen, I was in a hurry…” Nekomaru coughed, obviously agitated about something. “I’m alright, it’s just—ergh!” He clutched his stomach, and the action made Kazuichi falter and rushed to comfort him by his side. “Woah, hey dude, what’s wrong?”

 

Nekomaru chuckled, though strained as he struggled to reply. “I’m pretty sure it’s ‘cause of the beef stew I had earlier…” 

 

“U-uh, you wanna go to the clinic, or—?”

 

“Mm _ mm _ **_mnnn!_ ** ” The larger man grunted, gently shoving Kazuichi out of the way before he can finish his sentence. Nekomaru ran over to the bathroom, the mechanic flinching when he slammed the door behind him. Kazuichi blinked once, then twice, unable to process what just happened.

 

The sequence of events unfolded so bizarrely, and when he finally took grasp of the situation, he looked around and found that they had caught the attention of a few passerbys. The sets of eyes on him quickly flustered him, as he hurried to the nearest room—which so happened to be the building's exit, and stumbled down the stairs to the quadrangle. Kazuichi heaved out a sigh of relief when he wandered far enough, his initial embarrassment dying down. 

 

His shoes clicked the pavement as he resumed his normal pace. He was really surprised to find a large garden patch, a greenhouse closeby, and a farming ranch down the road. There was even another courtyard. But the path didn’t end there, in fact, it seemed to stretch farther.   _ Maaan, this school really has everything.  _ Kazuichi awed, wondering if there was more he had yet to see.

 

The academy must be really huge to house so many diverse facilities in one area. Then again, he supposed, it wasn’t just any kind of school.

 

_ Pretty ironic that I'm here, then. _

 

Although he hadn’t really admitted it outloud or gave it some deep thought, it overwhelmed the mechanic, with how everything and everyone here was so  _ bigger _ , a huge, grand plan that he got to be a part of, but it made him feel so  _ small. _

 

_ So little... _

 

_ It scares him. _

 

There were tall hedges in the distance, a fountain; the sound of rushing water soothing his nerves as he moved closer. Then, he halted his steps, noticing the faint outline of a silhouette sitting by the edge of the fountain. Out of curiosity, he approached the figure warily, quietly making his way over, and they don’t seem to see him.

 

The moment Kazuichi laid eyes on him, he was immediately taken aback by the clothes they were wearing. To his further observation, they appeared to be a boy about his age. They donned a fitted suit, pale brown locks shaggy and unkempt and sticking up in weird angles, yet somehow balancing the neat look. 

 

Their eyes were trained forward, and when the mechanic followed where the stranger was looking at, he realized it was the direction where the building of Hope’s Peak stood. 

 

He knew that look.  _ He wore it frequently.  _

 

They still don’t seem to notice him, Kazuichi noted, with silent relief and a tinge of disappointment. Kazuichi may not be one for social cues, (believe him, he  _ tries. _ ) but he certainly wasn’t  _ that  _ slow to discern the lingering melancholia, it was only a trace, but undoubtedly present. He couldn’t deny there had been a part of him that wanted to march up to the boy, and wipe that lonely frown off his face. 

 

The boy’s shoe tapped against the tiled mosaic in an uneven rhythm, a hypnotic beat in tune to Kazuichi’s troubled thoughts. 

 

Despite the deep urge to go and check up on the poor stranger, instead, with a heavy heart, he quietly shuffled farther away. The wretched stirring in his gut worsening as the distance grew greater. 

 

_ I’ll do better next time.  _ He promised, sending off a soundless apology to the boy, as he swallowed his desire and managed to continue where he left off down the path.

  
  


— ❀ —

 

"Oh my  _ god _ ."

 

There in all of its shining, tremendous, and glorious splendor, was the most gorgeous thing Kazuichi had ever laid his eyes on. The contraption was practically twenty times his own height, or even bigger. The mechanic's hands twitched beside him, itching to hold the cool iron and take the  _ beautiful hunk of metal apart. _

 

When Kazuichi was running on his way back to school, the initial thought resounding in his head was a very loud  _ oh hell I’m late aren’t I.  _ Before the poor mechanic could continue to pray to whatever god he suddenly believed in, he instantly snapped out of his reverie when his vision caught a mountainous figure looming behind a grove of trees, growing nearer with every step he took.

 

He tried to ignore the burning curiosity in his chest, but he stopped short at the sight of an overly-massive garage towering beside the path he was on. Kazuichi’s heart  _ thumped  _ at the view, eyes sparkling in hysteria and excitement, and in a literal heartbeat, bounded inside—his previous thoughts momentarily forgotten.

 

Peeking around, the pinkette noted with slight disappointment that the place was barren of life. He had hoped that there would be a few people he’d be able to talk to; He sighed, now, sadly reluctant to touch any of the  _ delicious  _ equipment displayed before him. 

 

Oh  _ wait!  _ Kazuichi snapped his fingers, rushing outside from the opposite opening, and is greeted by the familiar structure he had seen from earlier. And now much closer to the enormous build, this brings us back to the present:

 

Our dear Kazuichi, a hyperventilating mess and weeping on his knees at the masterpiece in front of him. 

 

“I-I-I can’t believe....  _ Wow. _ ” The mechanic whispered, awed and slowly getting up to his feet. He moved closer, shaky hands flinching at the slightest brush of contact. He tried to take it all in, everything from the sheer size and how magnificently complicated it looked put together. 

 

Contrary to his previous reactions, it didn’t take long for Kazuichi to push back his hesitation, running back to the garage and grabbing a nearby toolbox  _ (He was just borrowing it, he insisted.) _ and thoroughly began to inspect the machine. He climbed as far as the ladder could go, and studied every bolt and plate, hands clumsily grasping as much as he could as he explored.

 

He unconsciously lost track of time, sweat dribbling down his forehead as he worked under the blistering heat of morning. 

 

— ❀ —

 

Time flew by fast.

 

"—da-san!"

 

Kazuichi's head snapped up at the faint sound of his name called. Cautiously, he peered over the metal plating and was blinking to find a small crowd at the base of the engine from below. 

 

"Souda-san! Would you come down please?"

 

That voice sounded familiar…  _ Hold on.  _ "Nevermind-san?" 

 

Careful as not to fall, he made his way down the insanely large machine, and landed safely on the ground when he jumped from a nearby ledge.

 

There were a few faces he recognized, and he nodded his head in greeting,  _ although… _

 

"Why is Owari-san strapped to a cross?" He asked incredulously, breaking eye-contact with the gymnast when she bared her teeth at him. 

 

"They tricked me!" She whined, growling in frustration and squirmed in place. "I didn't even get to eat!"

 

The petite girl that he remembered from yesterday snickered deviously, and the redhead shook her head in exasperation. Nekomaru, looking much better now than earlier, rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

 

_ Oookay, then. _ "I'm surprised to see you all here, though!" He said instead, shyly looking at the young royalty.

 

"Oh, erm, yes." Sonia smiled, though she sounded a little… uncomfortable. 

 

_ Huh?  _ "What's wrong?" Kazuichi looked at her in confusion.

 

"It's nothing, it's just…" She coughed into her fist, her smile turning somewhat apologetic, "There is… quite the pungent smell."

 

The mechanic took a bit of time to process the statement, "Oh, er, does it smell bad?" He frowned, watching her cute  _ (Wait, cute?)  _ note scrunch up in distaste. "Is it the oil?" 

 

"I'm afraid... it's not the oil." She took a shy step backward.

 

It took a good few seconds when Kazuichi caught on, face blooming beet red and feeling mortified. "Oh, uh, is it m-me?" He whispered.

 

His only response received was a rueful nod and another step backward.

 

"Oh  _ god,  _ it is me, huh?!" He squeaked in panicked embarrassment, suddenly hyper-aware of how sticky it felt beneath his clothes, all sweaty and gross. He scrambled to take off the jumpsuit that clung uncomfortably to his skin, but was stopped when a hand clapped his shoulder.

 

"Uh, wha—" The pinkette let out a terrified yelp, "Yukizome- _ sensei _ !"

 

"Why don't you take a bath after class is over, hm?" Their teacher said sweetly, as if the gas mask strapped to her face wasn't at all completely  _ horrifying.  _ "But before that, let's find all your classmates!"

 

Kazuichi squeaked, "Yeah, sure, okay."

 

— ❀ —

 

He didn't think that the majority of his classmates had decided to skip class today, especially when Yukizome- _ sensei  _ told them it was very important that they should. It made Kazuichi a bit guilty for losing track of time.

 

When they arrived at the farm grounds, the entire weather around the pasture was completely different. The clouds, dyed a heavy gray, thundered and roared. Their small group awaited before the animal shed, shivering in the harsh and unforgiving wind.

 

"Tanaka-kun!" Yukizome- _ sensei  _ shouted, apparently not at all fazed at their current predicament.

 

When there was no reply, their teacher attempted again. "We know you're up—"

 

They all screamed as a swarm of crows flocked towards them, squawking when they attempted to swat them away. Kazuichi froze, along with everyone else, at the sudden bark of wicked laughter echoing from the top.

 

"Speak the name of evil, and it shall appear!"

 

Before Kazuichi got a moment to recover, the deep, rumbling voice continued, "You gaze upon Tanaka, the Forbidden One! My four, dark Devas of Destruction serve me at every turn!"

 

The mechanic could barely make out the outline of the figure atop the peak of the shelter. Bright, hypnotizing symbols glowed behind the breeder as he loomed before them.

 

"Mark my words! For I am the man who will one day rule this corrupted planet!" Gundham proclaimed, followed by a menacing laugh loud enough to boom throughout the field. Their teacher shook her head at her  _ overly eccentric  _ student. 

 

"Tanaka, sweetie! That's wonderful and all but we'd really appreciate it if you could come down!" 

 

"Fools! My being won't bend to your bid—"

 

"Just get down here, you blubbering idiot!" Fuyuhiko growled.

 

Yukizome- _ sensei  _ sighed when the breeder huffed in indignation, and disappeared from view. In a matter of a few minutes, Gundham returned, feet firmly planted on safe ground. 

 

He crossed his arms, and Kazuichi almost snorted, keeping his laughter to himself.  _ He looks like a sulking child! _

 

"You are lucky I have not decided to unleash my true power or else—"

 

Saionji waved a dismissive hand, scoffing, "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let's hurry up already and get this over with!"

 

The Ultimate Breeder  _ honest to god pouted _ , grumbled in resignation, legs sluggishly in motion to the group like his body was being dragged against his will. 

 

Their teacher cheered when Gundham walked towards them, motioning the group to do as well. They awkwardly complied, albeit less energetic and delayed. 

 

"That makes ten so far! Time to get the rest!"

 

— ❀ —

 

It just goes to show how Mioda and her, er,  _ guitar _ , are a force to be reckoned with.

 

It was fairly easy to find her. The musician was, as expected, jamming in the music room. The rest of the class gazed in bizarre amazement as they watched Mioda blared her guitar, the heavy dissonance vibrating throughout the room.

 

Kazuichi flinched, as did the rest when their classmate started  _ singing,  _ her voice unanticipatedly scratchy and monstrous.

 

"Is she trying to summon a demon, or some shit?" Fuyuhiko hissed, hands up to cover his ears.

 

Kazuichi watched in abject horror when she strummed her…  _ is that even a guitar?  _ The mechanic stared in terrified fascination at the questionable instrument and nearly screeched and ran for cover when it started spewing actual _ fire _ from the head.

 

“Oh, dear, she looks like she’s really getting into it.” Hanamura whispered with a twitchy smile.

 

As soon as the performance was over, the room was scorching, a variation of reactions from the class;  _ and for some unknown reason, _ laid barbeque that had been tenderly cooked on a grill. 

 

_ Where on earth did that grill even come from?  _ The mechanic grumbled, at this rate, bit by bit, getting immune to all of the absurd stunts his classmates are pulling right off the bat.

 

Mioda whistled at them. "Woah," She chuckled, "Didn't know I was playing for a crowd."

 

"Death metal barbeque, huh?" The pinkette muttered, staring flatly as he looked over the rows of sizzling meat. 

 

The musician giggled and lifted an enthusiastic thumbs-up. "Let's stick it to the man!"

 

"By attending class!" Their teacher cheered, returning the gesture.

 

"That literally makes no sense!" Hiyoko snarked, fuming behind the others.

 

Kazuichi frowned in discomfort, wriggling in his spot impatiently as he began to feel the room getting hotter and more cramped. "Cool poses. Can we go now?" 

 

"This is great progress! Now we got eleven under our belt!" Yukizome chirped. 

 

The light singer squealed, the happy sound a large contrast to the synchronized groans from the class. “Alriiii _ iiiiiiight _ ! On to the next one!” 

 

— ❀ —

 

Kazuichi was beginning to think that their teacher had a strange sixth sense letting her lead them to the  _ exact  _ places their other classmates  _ coincidentally  _ happened to be in. Or, he guesses, this one was pretty obvious in hindsight.

 

The room was a bit small, to his astonishment. But what the mini-sized dojo made up for was the jaw-dropping display of the sakura blossoms by the garden directly outside the opposite doorway. 

 

The moment, however, was ruined when a burst of movement came as soon as they stepped inside. The action was swift, only a fraction of what happened to have been seen and processed properly by the naked eye. 

 

The attack was blurry, but it was precise and had  _ almost _ hit the opponent—which so happened to be Yukizome-sensei. 

 

The gray pigtails reeled back slightly in shock, Pekoyama blinking twice at their teacher in confusion. Her weapon barely grazing the skin of their adviser’s neck, who graced a patient smile towards her. 

 

The rest of the class held their breaths at the scenario, slightly shaken by the sudden burst of movement, and watching the events unfold itself. Kazuichi had to bite the inside of his cheek to prevent himself from screaming  _ bloody murder. _

 

“Hello there, Pekoyama.” Yukizome chuckled, “Sorry for interrupting you, but class has already started minutes ago.”

 

It took a second for the comment to register, but the swordswoman nodded, though a bit guarded. Using the bamboo staff as a means of support, she steadily got up to her feet.

 

“Ah, forgive me, I so easily lose track of the time…” She mumbled, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose, sheepish.

 

Their teacher was quick to give an eager response, “That’s alright, Peko. I know your job is important, but classes are just as important too, alright?”

 

_ Er, come again?  _ The pinkette sensed that the advice was a bit peculiar, he just wasn’t sure what about it seemed off, but his thoughts were soon voiced out by a startled Fuyuhiko. 

 

“Wait, wha? Hey teach, how do you know—!?” He griped, but before he could finish his sentence, his mouth was  _ conveniently  _ stuffed with cooked meat; props to Ibuki, who began cackling beside the young yakuza heir, and threw an arm over his shoulder.

 

“Eat some  _ horomon-yaki  _ and get yourself hyped, lil’ man!” The singer laughed when Fuyuhiko only struggled in her grip.

 

The pinkette sighed, shaking his head in resignation, wondering _what exactly he did to_ _be put in a group of a bunch of weirdos._

 

“Alright, we’re down to our final three, you guys! Luck is on our side!” 

 

Oh dear, Kazuichi has a very strong feeling that this next one _ won’t end well at all. _

 

— ❀ —

 

The class groaned for what seemed like the umpteenth time, as the trek down the road got even steeper with every step. Sonia accompanied their teacher at the front of the group, while Yukizome pouted in exasperation.

 

“I just know that boy’s around here somewhere!” 

 

Kazuichi decided to take a break to sit at the edge of the rails by the sidewalk, only barely behind the class languidly trailing after their adviser. He frowned in disdain, knowing very well who they were looking for this time.  _ Eugh, oh gods no. _

 

“I don’t like him.” He cringed, “Every time he’s around, I can’t help but feel like my day’s gonna go south, majorly.”  

 

A few of their classmates looked a bit amused, rolling their eyes at his antics.

 

Their teacher coughed, but they can undeniably see the hints of a grin reaching her eyes. “Now, now everyone! Even if that’s the case, we should all try to get along with each other, capiche?”

 

There were reluctant hums and choruses of agreements, and proceeded to continue on their mission but it all came to a halt when the abrupt beeping of a speeding truck swerved by the road and nearly wheeled by the walkway they were on. 

 

It steered to the other side, closely cutting a sharp turn, but had hit one of the bars of the railings Kazuichi had been sitting on in paralyzed fear. The pinkette cried out in agony when his head hit the brass fences behind him, alongside the metal clang of the broken banister.

 

_ Gah, it _ — _ it hurts!  _ He hissed when the ache rushed to his forehead. He could barely make out the screams and his name being called repeatedly, calling out to him, asking if he was okay, but they all seem too far away.  _ God damn, I can’t believe I jinxed myself! _

 

He felt lightheaded, wincing when someone tried to help him up. “Hey, hey, it’s cool, I’m fine!” He mumbled, lifting a hand at the bruised spot. It was wet, he realized. 

 

It was  _ blood. _

 

“Oh d-dear, h-h-he’s b-bleeding!” 

 

“Oi, you’re a nurse right?! Don’t just dawdle over there, go help him!” 

 

“Guys, quiet down! He’ll feel worse if you all keep shouting!” 

 

“You’re shouting too, moron!”

 

Kazuichi grimaced, the noises static and ringing in his ears. He recognized this pain, he felt this before, the dull throbbing in his head growing more unbearable when he tried to remember where. It had been like an old scab, but where it had hurt, the scar had cut deep. 

 

His body stung from the collision, but he knew that in a different time, from the past,  _ he felt worse.  _ He endured greater pain than this,  _ so why does it feel so bad? _

He refused to cry, not right here, definitely not now. _ You aren’t weak. It doesn’t hurt _ , he cradled the lie like it held his lifeline. Tears pricked the corner of his eyes, but he’d be damned to let them fall.

 

He knows, but he tried so hard to forget.  _ This is familiar, this isn’t new to him, but it’s so wrong and he doesn’t know why so please make it stop _ —

 

He forced his eyes to open, and recoiled in alarm at the sight of so many eyes trained on his limp figure. He wiggled at all the attention, “Umph! Hey, guys, it’s okay! I’m alright.” 

 

The mechanic tried to get up, wobbling to his feet but nearly collapsing when blood rushed to his head, black dots stirring in his vision.

 

Their teacher approached him, her tone laced with worry. “Perhaps it’s best if you go on ahead, Souda-kun. You should get to the infirmary pronto, and once we find Komaeda-kun, we’ll come back to check on you.”

 

He felt embarrassed when he whimpered in agreement. 

 

“I-I-I’ll go a-a-accompany h-him! I’ll t-treat h-his w-wounds!” The poor nurse murmured, a shaky hand resting on his wrist _. _

 

Yukizome smiled, “That’d be great, Tsumiki-san!” Then she paused, a bit before shaking her head.

 

“Actually, you know what? Why not all of you get back to the classroom? I’ll be taking it from here!”

 

Everyone was quick to approve, but before they could rejoice any further, they were interrupted by the instant  _ shush  _ from their adviser. “I better see all of you in your desks by the time I get back! No one gets to leave until I say so, got it?”

 

The class feverently nodded, a few dejected at the instruction, but complied nonetheless. Carefully, the mechanic was hoisted up by the waist, guiding hands goading him to sling his arms over the others’ necks. 

 

He jolted from his spot when he felt the sensation of his cap getting pulled off his head,  but was silenced as a soft handkerchief wrapped around from behind, the unfolded corner slightly obscuring his line of sight. “Sorry, but this should do for now. It’ll help stop the bleeding a bit.” 

 

Kazuichi hummed, a bit slow to recognize the owner of the new voice, but could guess it came from the redhead from earlier. “Thanks.” 

 

The handkerchief shifted in his hair, “Is it too tight?” Koizumi asked, fingers faltering in tying the knot. 

 

“No, no, that’s cool.”

 

When he gently raised his head, sneaking a peek to his left, he found Owari-san grinning encouragingly at him. “Just hold on to us alright? We’ll get’cha to the clinic first!”

 

When he returned the gesture, he looked over to his right, startled to find himself staring at a pair of mismatched orbs. The breeder cleared his throat after a few seconds, “It is our duty to assist you on our journey back to the realm of healing. We shall see to it that you get back as safe as possible.”

 

“Oh, er...”  _ Man, why does this guy talk so weird?  _ Kazuichi huffed, but offered a crooked smile, “Uh, sure? I guess.”

 

“Do not fret, so you will not fall.” Tanaka added, adjusting his footing for better posture.

 

_ Geez, I got it, you creep.  _ The salmonette rolled his eyes, ignoring the throbbing in his forehead, grunting in acknowledgement. He flinched, getting highly uncomfortable, his shoes only narrowly touching the ground, like he was suspended in mid-air. 

 

_ This makes me feel like a little kid!  _ He bit his lip, “Hey, could you guys, guh—” They immediately stopped in their tracks, “Oh, mmh, get a bit l-lower?” 

 

“Your unfortunate height restricts us from fulfilling your request.” Tanaka stated bluntly, and Kazuichi’s face flushed at the remark, while some of their classmates turned around in confusion. Much to his chagrin, Owari’s shoulder started to shake, until she began snickering loudly beside him.

 

“ _ Hah?!  _ Are you saying I’m short, or something?!” 

 

The breeder smirked, “In layman’s terms, yes, you are correct.”

 

“Well, it’s either that, or we could get Nekomaru to lift you?” The gymnast suggested, and Kazuichi paled, his imagination already running wild with the thought of Nidai-san  _ ruthlessly dangling the mechanic over his shoulder like a wet sack of potatoes.  _ He made a nauseated sound of disagreement, laughing nervously.

 

“Oh, uh, you know what? Haha, I’m good. Yep.” He gulped.

 

— ❀ —

 

Kazuichi sighed in irritation, although glad that he felt a bit better than previously, scratching the bandaged surface just above his eye. It was getting a little itchy. He did have to give it to Tsumiki-san though, grateful that she helped him get patched up once they arrived at the school. 

 

_ Although, it didn’t really go as smoothly as I had hoped.  _ The mechanic blanched, wanting to bleach his brain for bothering to recall the  _ riveting,  _ multiple and  _ the not so pleasant  _ incidents during his time in the clinic.

 

They were all back in the classroom, chatting amicably with one another while staying in their respective seats, as their teacher ordered them to. The mechanic rapped his fingers against the wood of the desk, boredly glancing at the clock every so often.

 

“How do you feel?”

 

Kazuichi jerked in surprise, the former scarlet hue returning to his cheeks. The blonde foreigner by his right smiled. Dazed from his afternoon daydream, he scrambled for a response, “Doing better, I’m alright!” His voice wobbled, and the mechanic applauded himself for, at the very least, not cracking up at the very end.

 

This doesn’t reassure Sonia though, and she pursed her lips in concern. “You look awfully red, are you sure? Do you feel sick?”

 

“Peachy, princess! I’m A-okay!” He chuckled anxiously, and tensed when his conversation-partner still didn’t look convinced, though when she opened her mouth to ask once more, the door to their classroom slid open. 

 

In a bubbly demeanor, it was Yukizome- _ sensei _ who entered and strolled up to the table up front.

 

The mechanic exhaled through his nose, thankful for the wanted distraction.  _ Looks like luck is back on my side. _ __

 

It was only for a few seconds, and Komaeda strode inside afterwards.

 

_ Nevermind, I take it back.  _ Kazuichi threw his head back and grumbled under his breath. 

 

But what was  _ really questionable  _ was the two large plastic bags the lucky student came in with, and as soon as anyone could ask what it was, he placed a bag on top of his desk, and the other bag on the opposite side. Cautiously, he pulled the plastic down to reveal— _ er,  _ two dozen stacks of Dr. Hopper soda cans.

 

 _Ah, yes, just when you thought it couldn’t get any more extra._ The mechanic looked on at the odd view forlornly. 

 

“This is so exciting!” Yukizome chirred, clapping her hands together. “Doesn’t this feel nice? Having the entire class together?”

 

Komaeda beamed, “Seeing all of you Ultimates in the same room, a feat that could only be pulled off by our wonderful teacher! A nobody such as myself is truly grateful.” 

 

It took all of Kazuichi’s willpower not to hit his head on the armchair, and welcome himself into a coma.  _ Oh boy, here we go.  _

 

“Oh, Komaeda-kun, dear, you aren’t a nobody!”

  
  
  
  
  


“You’re a rotten orange!” Their adviser whooped when the silence passed.

 

“That wasn’t a compliment, dimwit!” Fuyuhiko snapped when Komaeda laughed heartily in reply. 

 

Yukizome put a finger to her chin, appearing to be in thought. “Looks like only two of your classmates are left! Let’s keep going you guys, give me some hustle—!”

 

The single-pigtailed  _ gremlin  _ wailed, making a show of her body draped across her desk in a fit of exhaustion. “I don’t wanna go anymore! I don’t think I can make one more step!” She flailed her feet in demonstration.

 

“My legs feel like their about to fall off!”

 

“W-w-wah! T-they c-c-can d-do that j-just by w-walking around?!” 

 

“It’s a figure of speech, dumbass!” The dancer spat in retaliation.

 

“Hmmm, alright, here’s the deal!” Yukizome- _ sensei _ raised a fist in the air, acting oblivious to the catfight a few feet away from where she stood. “If you all want to be lazy butts, I’ll wrangle the last two of your classmates myself, and you all stay here and clean this place up!”

 

_ More work, really?  _ “Okay!” Their class echoed back.

 

“Great! And when I get back, this place better be squeaky clean, and spotless! Aight? Have fun!” She stated, stepping out the door and closing it with a shut. “See you all later!” Came a shout down the corridor outside.

 

“No choice, I guess. We better get this over with.” Fuyuhiko mumbled, glowering at one of the cabinets he supposed contained the necessary cleaning utensils.

 

Tanaka bellowed, beckoning his hamsters to come forth from the comfort of his clothes, “Unleash your chaos, my Dark Devas, so we may cleanse this Gehenna!” 

 

Kazuichi wanted to tell him, but instead noted mentally with unease,  _ your rodents are ten times tinier than the brooms. _

 

There was a clang of metal, and the sloshing sound of water. Everyone turned to the direction where someone gasped, but hurried to cover their eyes. Laid down in a wet puddle, Tsumiki bawled over the mess she  _ magically  _ conducted after pulling open one of the cabinet doors.

 

“How do you survive the day, you klutz?!” Saiyonji scowled at the nurse. “You just made a bigger mess to clean up!”

Kazuichi rubbed the temples of his forehead with his thumbs, resting on the palm of his hands. From the looks of it, even if the undeniable proof itself is that they barely even started the job, but something tells him that  _ this is gonna take a while. _

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! As always, if you have any comments, thoughts, suggestions or critiques, let me know through the comments! If you would also like to follow me on my social media, I do have a twitter account: @kuurarisu 
> 
> Thank you all again, lovelots!


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